From This to That

She went from this....

To this....



To this....



And finally to this...

We had our first family broken bone two weeks ago. It was one of those experiences that I kinda just shook my head and thought this is NOT how I pictured this going. It was Saturday night and close to bedtime but beautiful outside and we decided to be spontaneous and go for a family job/bike ride. Tim was running in front (he says cuz he is faster but I think it's because he just wanted to be done and was dying) but that's neither here nor there and I was pulling up the rear, yes slower but also pushing Carter and Brooklyn in the double jogger (yes, that's my excuse). Kennedy was right smack in between us on her bike. You could tell when she kept glancing back that she was worried that I was behind and didn't want to go faster and leave me in her dust but she also wanted to go faster and catch up with daddy. I yelled to her to go ahead sweetie we are fine...so she pedaled and pedaled faster. Then next thing I know she was falling off her bike with her body underneath the bike. She was pretty scraped up and kept holding her right hand but dr. Tim moved it around and we all thought she was just traumatized from the fall and the blood. It was pretty painful by Monday so we took her to urgent care to get an x-ray. Dr. said it wasn't brokedn but wrapped it because of the pain. He instructed us to take her to an orthopedic dr. if it still hurt in a week. A week later the splint came off and the pain continued. Off to the orthopedic dr. where he told us she had fractured her hand and put the hot pink with glitter cast (her choice of course) on her right hand. Poor thing, it has been hard (yes I will be the first to admit I feel sorry for her but sometimes I feel sorry for me too...since she really was my only child who could do pretty much everything for herself) BUT she is being a trooper, the excitement lasted all for a day when everyone got to sign it but now that's over and it just is plain annoying for her and heavy. She has gotten really good at writing with her left hand, eating with her left hand and now is able to do a lot with her right hand and the few free fingers. Hang in there KK only three more weeks!

11 Months...sigh!!!

Well I realized it was already creeping up to the end of April and I haven't written Carter's 11 mos. post. I took the pictures on the right day and believe me have thought about writing this post and catching up every other day since I just haven't done it. When I ask myself why I think yes, life is busy with three but really what is it?? Well I could only come up with the most logical comparison: it's kinda like that credit card bill...you think if you just let it sit there and you wait to open it somehow the number inside the envelope will change, poof, or better yet go away. YES, that's how I feel about this post...if I just wait maybe the next update or month won't happen, ya know the big 12 MONTHS!!

I have already cried two times looking at the calendar or talking about the big day. But that's ok because I cried when I got Brooklyn's preschool letter too. Seriously how did I get here? I feel like just the other day Kennedy was starting preschool and I was pregnant with Brooklyn.

But enough about that our little man had a big 11 months. So many changes in such a short amount of time...whew. He's on the move, he's a big flirt and the boy LOVES to dance. It seriously makes him the happiest kid so needless to say we have been having lots of dance parties, Studdert Style. I will have to tape one one of these days.

Carter Loves to...

EAT! He can sit and eat and eat and eat. And eat everything. It's so nice to be able to feed him what we are having for the most part. He loves fruit, especially blueberries, apples, and all the veggies, especially asparagus and broccoli.

THROW! He will sit there and play ball as long as you will sit there and throw it back to him. He especially finds it amusing now to throw everything off his highchair...or throw cars, toys, blocks, you name it, the kid's got an arm.

CRUISE! He has discovered he can get other places like around the train table, couches and anything else he can reach.

TALK! He is talking more and more now...mimicking what we say. He thinks animal noises are especially funny to hear and try to say.

TURN! He loves to turn pages in a book, in fact so much so that we mostly just spend the time turning pages because he does it so fast and back and forth that I can barely get a word out.

SING! He goes crazy when he hears Itsy Bitsy and tries to copy the moves. He claps majority of his days now...that never gets old to see him clap and of course when he does I just think he is the smartest thing since Einstein!

GET INTO HIS SISTER'S STUFF! That is a definite favorite. Brooklyn always has these elaborate stores set up or something and he loves getting right in the middle of it all. And Brooklyn is my organizer and so this drives her crazy.

HUG! He gives the best hugs and doesn't let go. Love this part of mommyhood!











My view of Carter these days is the first picture...a busy little boy, quite the change from 10 mos. old when he wouldn't let me out of his sight or out of my arms.

A Glimpse

I got a glimpse of Carter's future dating life (or non dating life) with two older sisters. It came in the form of taking the kids to go feed the ducks. Funny yes, but seriously any girls Carter brings home I feel bad for. It went a little like this....

A duck would get close to Carter and Kennedy would yell, "Back off Buddy!" And those of you who know KK know it is so hard to get her to yell at someone or something or use her strong voice to stand up for herself. She is getting better but I might just have to take her to feed the ducks more often for that one.

And then another one would get close to his stroller and Brooklyn would yell, no wait SCREAM, "Get away from my brother NOW!" Those of you who know Brooklyn wouldn't be surprised at the screaming but at least it was just at the ducks!

Sorry future girls, but this may help weed out the ones who aren't going to pass by the big sisters. They only want and expect the best for their little brother even when it comes to ducks!

Easter Day

As much as we love the egg hunts, egg dyeing and the candy we try to remind our kids throutout the events leading up to Easter. And to stop and remember what Easter is really about. So my favorite part of Easter was when we just stopped amid the Easter morning craziness and as a family of 5 celebrating Carter's 1st Easter we prayed on our family room rug to thank God for raising his son up so that we could have eternal life and live with him forever! I often wonder if my kids will do the same thing to their kids whenever anything comes up about Easter, whether decorating, doing crafts and projects, buying Easter m&m's if they will ask them what Easter is really about and what the real celebration is...I hope so!

Carter's 1st go at an Easter basket...the girls made sure he knew the ins and outs of what to do with the stuff in his Easter basket. The poor kid will never have to worry about having enough mothers!

It rained again this year on Easter morning so the good old pictures in the grass just didn't happen...no little girl (or big girl) in this family is willing to get their sandals muddy or wet!

Seriously does it get any cuter than this...don't think so but I know I am biased :)

I think this one is so funny and classic of trying to get a picture with my babes...Ya know the moments that I didn't know were going on until I check out all the pictures from the day...love it!

And the distraction of the day that held all of our attention captive was this new game the girls got for Easter. It went everywhere with us and we all happily and competitively played it all.day.long!

I always get a little bummed on holidays that I know my family is all getting together to celebrate and that my kids aren't near their grandma's and grandpa's, aunts, uncles and cousins too to do the whole holiday thing but we are so thankful to have good friends here

that we get to do holidays with...

The culprit behind the "my 1st oreo cookie" moment. Thanks Tom always willing to do your best while holding my kids and I am not looking :)

Easter Eggs

The Hold Up...The girls kept saying mommy, mommy, are we ready yet?? I was, but as I went in the house to see what was keeping the guys this is what I found:



So when that was done we were finally ready. Every year by the time I am ready to sit down and do an egg or two they are GONE...sigh, the life of a mom huh. I love watching them though and yes girls we will even do this when you come home for College break :)






And Carter's 1st egg dyeing experience was a success, no dyeing went on from his little hands but he did manage to snag an egg from the masses and got the yolk...loves that yolk!

Egg Hunts

The first hunt of the Easter weekend came at KK's school party. Poor thing woke up the next day not feeling good at all and ended up having strep throat.



The girls look forward to our church egg hunt every year. Well this year the hunt only had one Studdert girl, Brooklyn. KK was pretty much in bed until Easter Sunday. Her strep throat had her down for the count. It was really funny to watch Brooklyn this year especially all by herself....she was ready, set and determined as ever.






Easter morning found us looking all around the house for the eggs the bunny hid. Carter had a great time finding (and opening all of his). In fact he is still loving those plastic eggs, again who needs toys? The girls asked us, "how did the Easter Bunny know Carter needed all his eggs on the rug instead of hidden?"

You've Come a Long Way

This is the same little girl who used to cry hysterically if she got wet from the water table or wouldn't touch sand from the sand table. You have come a long way little lady and I love you!!!

We were doing a lot of yard work this weekend and this was by far her highlight. She kept wanting to find more and more worms...she even got her lil sis to hold one although K definitely had more fun.

What Happens

When I tell my 3 year old to go get ready to take her big sis to school...



Oh how I love that girl!!!